Apparatus for separating liquids from solids.



No 830,684. PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906. E. P. STARBIRD.

APPARATUS FOR SE'PARATING LIQUIDS FROM SOLIDS. APPLIOA'IION IILBD IEB.1 1,19Q4.

ig/j 2 sums-SHEET PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

I]. P, STARBIRD. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS FROM SOLIDS.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.11.1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

in brie I to a movable filter through w ich a suction ing which has UNITED s'rA rEs PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN P. STARBIRD,

cial yalue in metallurgical processes in the separationofslimes r pulp from solution.

'One' of thema'in' features of the present invention'. is that the construction provides for a continuous'operations Where tailings are i being treated, the slimes or pulp may be fed.

continuously into the apparatus and the water'iwill be discharged at one point and the residuum dischar edat anotherxpoint.

' .The rocess whlch the apparatus performs I is the introduction of ,ulp or slimes is maintained which causes the mixture. to hug the filter, the liquid being drawnthrough the filter by the suction, while the solids are carried bodily with the filter past the suctionpoint, whereupon the solids are freed from the filter. v

By referring to 1 pulp I mean the product of wet crushing or the product of dry crush pulp is'used in its relative sense and as contrasting the condition of the pulp with its condition in some otherstage of the treatment. The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention, and, referring to the same, Figure 1 is aside elevation of the apparatus with a part of the outer'shell broken away, part of the outer foraminated shell of the revoluble barrel'bein' also removed. Fig. 2 is an end elevationo? the ap aratus. Fig. 3 is a section on line X X ig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section on line X X, Fig-'3.- Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a portion, showing the packing which separates the suction-chamber from the compression-chamber. Fig. '6 is a sectional detail of a portion, showing the device for sealin the joint between'the revoluble barrel and the outer stationary shell. I Fig. 7 isa fragmental detail showing anotherform of packin' between suction. and compression cham ers.

Specification of Letters Patent Application filed February-l1, 1904. Serial No. 193.061;

filter 3 is revoluble in a vertical'p delivere beenwet up. Q The term dried OF VIOTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA, APPARATUS FORYSEPARATING LIQUIDS FROM souos.

Patented Sept. 1 1,1906] Fig. 8 is a fragmental detail taken in section on line X X Fig. 7. ical view showing system of treatment bysuc: cessive steps in apparatuses in terrace arrangement and relation'jof reag'itation to the Fig.- 9 is adiagrammat 5 5 1 designates an outer stationary cylindrical 6o shell which is mounted upon standards 2. Within the outer shell-1 is a revoluble filter 3, mounted to revolve concentrically within the, shell 1, eing provided with flanges 4,

which consist of annularv rings, as shown, riveted' or otherwise secured to its edge.

The filter 3 may comprise'a permeable ma terial 5, which lies between inner'and' outer perforated shells 6 and 7, respectively. Each flange 8, while the outer-shell 7 may have an out'turned flange 9, and the-annular rings .or

bearing-flanges the flanges 8 and 9, as shown in Fig; 6. Said preferably open at each end, so that the ma terials o erated on maybe readily fed to and Erwin the-interiorthereof. The sta tionary shell 1 extends com'pl'etely around the filter, forming'a smooth and guide in which said filter'rotates, being at a sufficient distance from the filterto; rovide," an annular s ace-in which are forme chambers hereina ter described. I

11; the flanges 4 resting of the rolls, as shown.

pairs of rolls 10 and u on the peripheries 'T e rolls 10 arecarried by a'shaft 12, and the carried by a shaft 13, both shafts and one of rolls 11 are bein j ournaled in the standards 2, the s afts may carry a driving-pulley 14.

The diameter of the filter is somewhat less than the outer stationary shell, so that an annular space is formed, and this space is divided into a segmental suction-chamber 15 and a se mental compression-chamber.16bymeans 0 strips of packing 17, which are arranged longitudina ly ported on the outer shell between inturned longitudinal flan An inclineddelivery-trough 18 is arranged within the filter and is supported by arms I), which are bolted or riveted to the outer shell and which curve revoluble filter, so as to freely clear the same.

4 may be riveted or, bolted to I edge of the inner shell 6 may have an inturned 7o ne and is 7 5 continuous 80 he filter is-supp'orted and driven by two 5 of the shell, being sup- I ges a,'which are bolted to- -"gether, as shown'in detail in F ig'. 5.

around the flanges of the The trough 18 is inclined horizontally and also laterally, as shown in Figs, 2 and 3, and so arranged as to extend under the area ernbraced by the compression-chamber and is adapted to receive the driedpulp as it falls from the filter when brought over the com- 18 has a spout 19,

- being i nally throug located a tl'lfifi: above the inner periphery colates through t 1 the suction-c pression area. The lower end of the trough through which the dried pulp is'discharged. i v

A scraper 20 extends longitudinally of'the filter and bears a ainstthe inner face thereof, provided witha series of jet-nozzles 22,wh1 c h point toward the inner face of the filter and are arranged below the scraper 20, and water under pressure may be supplied to thepipe 21 and will be discharged against theinner face of the filter to loosen upany pulp which may adhere to the filter after passing the scra er 20.

T e scraper 20 is'not'ched, asyat 23, (see Fig. 4,) to provide for the free assage of ribs 25, which are arranged interna ly of the filter to strengthen the same.

26 is a feed-pi ewhichis supportedby arms 27,, bolted or ot erwise fastened to the outer shelll, and the feed-pipe 26 extends longitudih. the space in thefilter, being 0 the flanges 4. Along its under s de the feedpipe 26 1s providedwith discharge-orifices 28, through which the pulp to lates and dropsonto the revolving filter.

29 is a suction-pipe which communicates with the suction-chamber 15,-preferably at the lowest art 7 of the outer shell 1. The other end o the suction-pipe 29-is connected to a suitable pump, as shown.-

30 is a pipejfor conveying air under pressure to the compressiomchamber 16, the pipe communicating," referably, as shown, at the upper point the compression-chamber, its

-other end being connected to a suitable air pump or compressor, as shown.

In operation the filter is revolved through the medium of the rolls 11,- and suction is maintained within the suction-chamber 15 while compression is maintained within the compression chamber 16. The slimes -or ulp is fed throu h the feed-pipe 2,6 and pere orifices 28, dropping onto the revolvin filter, and the suction within amber 15 causes the mixture to adhere to the moving filter, .while the water in the mixture is sucked through the filter into the compression-chamber, from whence it is drawn away through the suctionipe 29. On account of the suction wit in the chamber 15 the solids of the mixture hug the revolving filter and are thereby carried up and around into the area embraced by the compression chamber, and as soon as the passes the first strip of packing 17, located at the upper part of the apparatus, the

supported y a pipe 21 the latter being he treated perco pressure presslon-chamber loosens filter and it drops onto "considerable area is embraced by the comiassron-chamber, so that ample'provision is made for the complete removal of the dry pulp from the revolving filter; but in order to insure a thorough cleaning of the filter from any pulp which may adhere to the filter in s ite of the air-pressure the scraper 20 is emoyed, so that any pulp which remains on the filter is removed by the scraper and falls onto the trough 1, and the, jets of water which issue from the water-pipe 21 further clean the filter and prevent the clogging of the same by any incrustation, so that thefilter is perfectly clean from any ing the suction-chamber. onto therevolving filter continuously, a layer of pulpis maintained on the inside of the filter, which in assing through the suctiori-chamb er is robbe of thegreater part of its liquid, so that by the time of reaching the compression zone the ulp is practically free from moisture. If the pulp is given apreliminarytreatment in a settling-tank or other devicebefore being introduced to this apparatus the greater part of the liquid before being operated upon by the apparatus, the amount of li 'uid to be removed will be less. I I

v f desired, the pulp after having been passed through the apparatus may be reag'itated again with more solution'and passed through a duplicate apparatus to accom'e to remove matterwhen enter As the pulp ,drops plish a further separation and removal of-fj} values, the apparatuses rangement, as shown in ess may be continued through successive stages of suction treatment interspersed with agitation, so that the solution gradually becomes weaker as the steps progress and the ultimate removal of the values is attained.

In Fig. 9 ,A, B, and C indicate three apparatuses arranged on different levels. '1) indicates an agitator. The heavy dotted lines indicate the return of the pulp to the agitator from apparatuses A and B. The light dotted lines indicate the passage of the pulpflafter rea itation to the apparatuses B and C. The das line indicates the solution removed from apparatuses A, B, and 0.

Instead of giving the revoluble barrel a continuous revolution in one direction it may be oscillated and practically the same result secured, and it is obvious that a segmental filter or pulp-carrier could be employed in' stead of the cylindrical one shown and either oscillated or swung in a circlei. 6., revolved;

' Furthermore, the mixture may be admittedintermittently through-the feed-pipe, which would qualify in terms, but not in substanbeing in terrace ar Fig. 9, and the proc-f roo tial effect, the result produced by the continuous operation of the device.

The reagitation of pulp and duplicate steps may be employed at discretion, and thecharacter of the material being treated largely determine the course to be pursued.

' Fig. 7 showsa longitudinal strip 50 bolted I 5 between outturned flanges 51in the outer shell 1. The strip 50 su ports a Z-bar 52 by means of bolts 53, whic pass'through elongated slots in the Z-bar, and the Z-bar is resiliently pressed toward the filter 3 by 10 springs 54. Packing 55, supported by the Z-bar, is held tight against the outer casing 7 pfthefilter, ,7 1 41" ii Accordingrto Vthe'modification shown in Fig. 8, which harmonizes with the modifia? f 13 tion shown in Fig. 7, an annular ring- 60 ,is

' riveted to the flanged ends of the filter. This ring supports studs 61, which loosely passthrough rings 62, corresponding to the flanges 4. A packing-ring 63 lies between the ring 2b 62 and a flange 64, turned out from the end of the shell 1. The rings 62- are resiliently pressed toward the ends of .the filter by coil-- springs 65, supported on 3 5 shell and forming an annular space between the cylinder and shell, partitions dividing the annular space into a plurality of closed chambers, means for maintaining a suction in one chamber, anda conduit for supplying atmos 4o pheric pressure in another chamber.

2. Astationary shell, a revoluble filter within said shell of less diameterthan the. shell, means for m'aintaininga suction within one portion of the space betweenthe filter and shell, and means for maintaining atmospheric pressure Within another portion of said s ace. 3. cylindrical filter revoluble in a vertical plane, a feed discharging inside of said filter, means for causin a suction at the outer lower portion of said cy inder, means for causing atmospheric ressure at the outer upper portion of said cylinder, and a delivery within the cylinder and adapted to receive material from the u per ortion thereof. 4. A-revolub e cy indrical filter, a'stationary shell-fitting around the outside of said filter, said shell being furnished with a pressure-chamber and a suction-chamber, said 6 chambers inclosing different portions of the periphery of said cylinder, means for withdrawing. air from said suction-chamber, means for forcing air into said pressure-chamber, a feed discharging into the cylinder, and

the stud 61 and held' 7 in place by keys 66. This keeps the packinga delivery-spout adapted to deliver material 6 5 from the portion of the inside of the cylinder opposite the pressure-chamber.

-'5. A cylindrical filter revoluble in a vertical plane and having an open end, adelivery leading from said filter extending through said open end, a feed ada ted to supply material to the interior of t e cylinder at the lower portion thereof, a shell forming a suction-chamber adapted to hold the ascending material to the side of the cylinder, and meansior withdrawing air from said suctionchamber.

:6Q A cylindrical filter revoluble a vertical plane and'having anopen end,a delivery leading from said filter extending through sa1d open end, a feed ada ted to'supplylna; terial to the interior of t e 0 lower portion thereof, a' shell ormi'n'g'a suction-chamber adapted to hold the ascending materia=l=tathe=s1de e the 'cylinder,, means forwithdrawingair from said suction-cham ber, and a scraper adapted to remove the descendingmaterialfromthesideofthec linder.

7. Arevolubl'e filter, a stationary s ell extending completely around the periphery of go said filter and forming asnction-chamber on one side thereof, means for producing a suc,

tion in said chamber, and means for rotating i 8. A revoluble filter, a stationary shellex- 5 tending completely around the periphery of said filter and forming two chambers at dif ferent arts of the circumference thereof, one

of said chambers being a suction-chamber and the other a producing a'suction in the suction-chamber,-

and means for producing atmospheric pressure in the pressure-chamber.

9. A filter, a stationary shell 'inclo's'ing the filter, means certain area of the space between the shell and filter, a stationary scraper bearingagainst the ffilter, means for moving the filter across the suction area and scraper, and means for projecting a solvent against the filte'radjacent to-and below thescraper. I

10. A filter, a stationary shell inclosing the filter, means for applying a suction over a certain area of the space, between the shell and filter, a stationary scraper bearingagainst the filter, means for moving the filter, and a pipe having orifices fronting the filter and nearto and below the scraper.

11, A revoluble, cylindrical filter, a stationary shell extending completely around the cylinder at a distance from its peripher' means for closing the space between said 1- ter and shell at each end thereof, means for dividing the circumferential extent of said 1 space into two chambers, means for producchambers, and

ing a suction in one of said means for plroducing atmosphenc pressure in amber.

the other 0 lindeeat-then pressure-chamber, means for for applying a suction over a gro 12. A ,stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell, flanges for inclosing. the space between the cylinder and shell, means for producing a suctlon in part of said space,

and means forproducing a compression in another part {of said space.

13. A stationary shell, a cylindrical revolu ble filter within the shell, said shell extending completely aroundthe' periphery of the cylinder at a distance therefrom, flanges on thefilter which inclose the space between the filqter. and shell, and means'for producing a suc lindrical filter wit insa'id shel shell, an open-ended cyofless diameter than the interior thereof, means for closing the space at each end of said filter and shell to form a suction-chamber therebetween, means; for reducing a suction in said chamber, and fee ing means extending longitudinally through said filter and having stationary supports at each end thereof.

16. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell comprising outer and inner.

perforated casings and a permeable material ing a suction in the space between t arms on etween the casings and means for roduce filter and shell. 17. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell comprising outer and inner perforated casings and a permeable material etween the casings, and flanges on the filter extending-at least to the edges of the shell.

18. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell comprising outer' and inner perforated casings and a permeable material between the casings, fianges on the filter, and suitable packing between the flanges and shell. 19. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell, flanges on the filter inclosing the space between the cylinder and shell,

- means for maintaining a suction in space between the filter and the filter, a trough hell, means for revolving extending through the cylindrical space embraced by the filter, and

arms on the shell supporting the trough.

20. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell, flanges on the filter inclosing the space between the cylinder and shell,

means for maintaining a suction in space between the filter and shell, means for revolving the filter, a trough extending through the cylindrical space embraced by the filter,- the shell supporting the trough, a scraper bearing against the inner face of the filter, and means attached to the stationar shell for supporting the scraper.

21, A stationary shell, acylindrical filter within the shell, flanges on the filter inclosing the space between the cylinder and shell, means for maintaining a suction in space between the filter and shell, means for revolving the filter, a trough extending) through the cylindrical space embraced y the filter, arms on pipe having orifices fronting the inner face of the filter, arms onthe stationary shell sup--v porting the pipe, and a scraper mounted on the pipe. 22. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell ,-fianges on the filter inclosing the space between the filter and shell, means for dividing the annular space between the filter and shelldnto' a plurality of segmental chambers, meansfor maintaining a suction within one of the chambers, means for maintair'iing acom ression within another-of the chambers, an a-trough extending through the cylindrical space embraced by the filter. 23. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter the shell supporting the trough, a

within the shell, fianges on the filter inclosing the space-between the filter and shell,means for dividing the annular space between the filter ands'hell into a plurality of segmental chambers, means for maintaining a suction within one of the chambers, means for maintaining a compression within another of the, chambers, a trough extending through the cylindrical space embraced by the filter, and arms onthe shell supporting the trough.

24. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter Within the shell, flanges on the filter inclosing the spacebetweenthe filter and shell, means for dividing the annular space between the filter and shell into a plurality of segmental chambers, means for maintaining a suction in one of the chambers, means'for maintaining a compression wihin another of the chambers, a trough extending through'the I cylindrical space embraced b the filter, said trough being inclined latera ly to the compression area. i

' 25. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell, flanges on' the filter inclosing the space between the for dividing the annular space between the chambers, means for maintaining a suction in one of the chambers, means for maintaining a compression within another of the chambers, and a trough extendingthrough the cylindrical space embraced by the filter and also inclined'longitudinally.

26. A stationary shell, a cylindrical filter within the shell, flanges on'the filter inclosing the space between the filter and shell, means for dividing the annular space between the filter and shell into a plurality of segmental chambers, means for maintaining a suction within one of the chambers, means for maintaining a compression within another of the filter and shell, means filter and shell into a plurality of segmental chambers, ajtroughextending through the cylindrical space embraced by the filter, and afee'd pipe. having diseharge orifices facing "the inner face of the filter.

"In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses, at Los Angeles, in

the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 3d day of January, 1904. v

i i EDWIN P. STARBIRD.

Witnesses:

GEORGE T. HAOKLEY, FREDERICK W. LYON. 

